The Biggest Jazz Beginner Struggle And How To Overcome It

[@JensLarsen]

What is the most difficult thing about getting started with Jazz? Here are some important tips: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJDYpnucp7KZf7M

[@tomcripps7229]

For me, internalizing the song and melodies. It takes a lot of listening.

[@AAAA-lt9hq]

Mental reharmonization of progressions during improvising. I'm sure this is done by instinct and by ear eventually but, coming from less improvised musical genres, reharmonization seems very difficult, especially if less used techniques and substitutions are used. Anticipating chord changes in unusual places during the reharmonizations, such as mid melody, greatly adds to melodic interest. If I could suggest an idea for melodies--in jazz I think of them as sounding a lot like conversations between people. I don't remember if it was Steve Vai or Frank Zappa who melodically transcribed a telephone call by ear, but it is an interesting way to think of unconventional melodies with conversations' unpredictable rhythms and drastic changes in pitch.

[@elninojustino]

I've been playing since I was 12 years old. I'm 49 now and I've learned more from videos like yours than I learned in all the decades before youtube

[@JensLarsen]

Great that the videos are useful! 🙏

[@troddy3925]

When you consider that at one time, you had to pay for one lesson a week (if you could afford it?), until now? When there are tons of free videos, explaining things, step by step, with visual aids, to anyone with a smart phone? Amazing!

[@twostep919]

Hear hear!

[@MusicMotivator]

@@troddy3925 And what kind of direct feedback does the video give you? I'm all for my students supplementing our lessons with the 5-10 qualified YT teachers but please don't think it replaces an actual live, interactive, custom designed lesson. How's that You Tube massage working for you? ;)

[@louismaiden8360]

despite Jens having more and more success the content quality has only gotten better, and he isn't trying to sell you something 5 times every video

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@Professional.Bro.777]

He is the best

[@bebopisthetruth]

I went to hear a local blues band a couple weeks ago. Heard a fantastic guitarist. I had the chance to talk to him at during a break. Five minutes into our conversation he says, there’s this guy on KZbin that you need to check out. His name is Jens…. Pretty cool. Shout out to Da Crabby Band from Omaha, NE. Cheers!

[@samarth0954]

im 16 now been playing since I was 5 ,your videos are truly the ones that helped me the most on my jazz journey so far

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you are really putting it to use!

[@ByTheSpirit84]

You're the GOAT of Jazz teachers on KZbin Jens. Awesome tips here, can't wait to practice

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it!

[@uwebritfeld4369]

This has got to be one of the best lessons I've gotten for jazz. Who says teachers can't teach melody? LOL.

[@agger08]

Gold! These lessons where you turn exercises into music are so helpful. Thanks again, Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

🙏

[@RogerShepard]

As always, superb advice. My Jazz Guitar Teacher is even referencing your videos.

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Tell him thanks 🙂

[@davidgaughran5450]

I've been experimenting making up lines on a blues over the weekend. And I've got to say that little arpeggio idea has turned lead into gold. I'm very happy with the results.

[@ScooterMcNoodle]

I'm stoked! With the end of daylight savings time, I just gained one more hour to binge watch your videos!

[@JensLarsen]

That is awesome! 😂

[@AAAA-lt9hq]

Twenty-five years ago at GIT I had the great Keith Wyatt as my blues guitar teacher. Keith graduated from the first GIT class in the 1970s and went on to write books, columns for "Guitar World" and other magazines, and direct various VHS instructional videos throughout the 1980s and early 1990s (he directed Paul Gilbert's first instructional video, Shawn Lane's video, and John Petrucci's "Rock Discipline" as well). I believe Keith often collaborated with Don Mock, a well known jazz instructor, as well. Keith taught us in much the same way Jens is doing here--showing us general concepts or ideas in a genre. It is a great teaching approach and a strong foundation upon which to build more complicated ideas. As an example, Keith showed us traditional layered blues guitar parts (sliding dominant chords that simulated horn lines, for example, while accented, syncopated triads were played by another guitar). We were also taken through various shuffles, 8 and 12 bar blues variations, turnaround licks, call and response, and so on. All of these were supported with real world examples (in those days, on cassette). Since it was a survey/primer course, I don't remember our getting into the use of diminished as much in blues music (a topic that seems to be overlooked when teaching blues music because diminished is considered too dissonant and hard to use for beginners--Mixolydian was the usual go to for me). I was very lucky to be taught by Keith in person, as I consider him the greatest blues guitar educator along with Robben Ford. I learned that blues guitar was about more than cliches and learning a nearly infinite number of 1 and 2 bar stock minor pentatonic licks used over 5ths. Likewise, I feel Mr. Larsen is the greatest jazz educator I have encountered here on KZbin, along with Mr. Robby Barnby (his primer on the tonic/dominant diminished scales and half-diminished/Locrian tonality are excellent but very fast paced). I believe he also goes into the Barry Harris method to some degree. My infinite appreciation to you, Mr. Larsen. You are my second favorite Danish person behind Lars Ulrich. :) Bonus points for a Danish person showing a Swedish chef at 1:19.

[@grahambrown5869]

Jens is the best jazz guitar educator there is.

[@JensLarsen]

🙏

[@cbolt4492]

I have so much to learn! Thanks Jens 😎

[@JensLarsen]

Any time!

[@paulberghege]

Yo Jens, this is very, very valuable not only for guitarists. Your a great resource for my jazz journey on the piano !

[@TheDrifteffect]

Your lessons never miss. You teach so well that even I'm getting something out of it!

[@606Rabbit]

This is such a great channel. I love your work and appreciate all you're doing for us learners.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@Nihuaching]

another excellent video. Thanks Jens

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!

[@JeanYvesP]

Thanks a lot. I really need to practice more change in direction! Great tips!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@titosmith7942]

Strat Jens - I like it! 😀 Good lesson on a hard-to-explain topic!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@TLMuse]

Wow, one of your best lessons-actual insight into melodic improvisation. I feel like months of useful practice could be based on this 12 min video. Thank you, Jens. -Tom

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tomcripps7229]

Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you for the support Tom!

[@williamotule]

thank you!!!

[@juliangitarre4196]

Great lesson! Thank you so much 😊

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@lycan1235]

👏👏👏 so useful!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so!

[@makisGibs]

I have not swim yet into the world of jazz but certainly feel the temperature of that Sea stepping with one foot by following some of your advice. I have the feeling that needs solid foundation for doing this and an experienced teacher that can assist through the process. Thanks for guiding people with your experience, much appreciated 😊.

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it! 🙂

[@makisGibs]

@@JensLarsen it could sound boring and excusing but I am missing time mostly... For the moment I am truly grateful and thankful for the snippet of Joy getting from you. Keep doing what you do!

[@sergeybogdanovich7019]

Hello guitarist. Thanks.🙏❤️🍀👌🎶🎵🎼✌️🎸🌹

[@guitarhans]

Thanx, always cool and helpfull licks for a not-beginner like me.

[@davidtellam9114]

The riff at 8:24 sounds fantastic if you drop it down an octave and keep everything between the 9th & 13th frets on the E, A & D strings.. .. and then shift it through half a beat to change/reverse the swing accents. Albeit, each bar now starts on an 11th.. it forces a comical eyebrow raise as you go into the F7 hitting two 11ths in a row..

[@daynemin]

Slightly off topic but that is one sharp camera focus!

[@taura101]

This is the only video that I replayed 4 times.

[@deanc.5984]

Nice! I need a lesson for the basic bar chord strumming guitarist that wants to learn jazz. Most of your videos are to difficult to understand or play but I'm trying 👍

[@JensLarsen]

It is difficult to give too specific advice because everybody is different and at different levels, but maybe check out this post: jenslarsen.nl/how-to-learn-jazz-guitar-suggestions-to-begin-studying/

[@daddygad]

My main takeaway: "Rules" aren't so much "rules" as they are shortcuts to understanding the essential elements that make whatever kind of music intelligible to us as music. Sort of like guides to help us as musicians to get a handle on what is happening in a given piece of music. But the fundamental elements should never be mistaken for "music". Music that strictly followed a set of rules, would be incredibly un-interesting to most people's ears (whether or not they understand why) and could scarcely even be called that. Or as a chef friend once put it to me, "shortcuts taste like shit".

[@pavelzalom9486]

Words of Pat Metheny abou melody teaching you mentioned were really inspirative for you, weren't they? :) Thanks for your work!

[@JensLarsen]

Yes, I think he has a point

[@marsvinbob]

Tak Lars for your efforts for us!!!! can you show some licks from manouche and gipsy jazz?

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like the video! I don't really play Gipsy Jazz, so you can better check the channels that are specialized in that like Robin Nolan and Christian Hemeert 🙂

[@marsvinbob]

@@JensLarsen i know Robin)) he is a great guy, but i would like licks especially from you, pehaps you have some?

[@wouterschijf47]

hello, I’ve visiting Denmark many times, Harlev, Koge and Copenhagen.

[@JensLarsen]

Great! It's a nice country 🙂

[@wouterschijf47]

@@JensLarsen I thought you are Danish, I am Dutch living in Guadeloupe, I am learning playing Jazz Guitar, I bought a Larry Carlton guitar, I hav lots of music from him.

[@wouterschijf47]

@@JensLarsen I am thinking of buying a course from you, by the way I am 77 years old.

[@JensLarsen]

@@wouterschijf47 great that you are getting into Jazz! 👍

[@ericstrauch3215]

Jens, would starting with melody of a tune and adding these concepts to it be a good way to start improvising over a song, like a theme and variations in classical music?

[@JensLarsen]

Yes and no. You can get great lines from it, but the melody of a standard doesn't really contain any jazz phrasing, and if you want to play good lines then you still need to know the harmony, scales and arpeggios.

[@ericstrauch3215]

@@JensLarsen Got it. Thanks!

[@Fari-100]

I most definitely cannot be doing this much thinking when I'm playing 🤷🏽‍♂️ in any style ... I'm much more of an intuitive player and just freely use my ear, and come up with all these sounds demonstrated here ... I'll just be damn if I can tell you how 😂

[@jesutobiayobami2690]

❤❤❤❤

[@LarsonGuitarPlayer]

Bye for now, you tube. Got to pick up the guitar right away.

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it! 🙂

[@mer1red]

What Pat Metheny says is not true, besides the fact that I don't like his playing. Eg a large part of counterpoint is about building a good melodic line. We also have the extensive digression on figuration which is an ingredient of good music education. Etc. I'm getting allergic to those who state that traditional education is not good. When someone begins like this, be sure that he/she has no thorough musical knowledge.

[@grewalparminder2003]

I can't stand his playing and don't think he has a good melodic sense

[@thyggs]

Yet nobody knows your name or ever will. Maybe youre allergies are getting the best of you